Freedom to Love
by Bloody Winged
Summary: Ed comes back to the office after a day full of running around and doesn’t want to do anything but sleep. However, Roy has a little surprise for him. Roy/Ed


_**Freedom to Love**_  
_**Rating:**_ PG-13  
_**Pairing:**_ Roy/Ed  
_**Warnings:**_ SAP!, probably OOC ^^;;  
_**Word Count:**_ 3.233  
_**Summary:**_ Ed comes back to the office after a day full of running around and doesn't want to do anything but sleep. However, Roy has a little surprise for him.  
_**Author's Note:**_ Happy Birthday Sunshine! :D *kisses you lots* I hope you like it ^___^ It's… well, not what I would have liked it to be, but I guess it's better than nothing ^^;; Writing while in a Writer's block sadly isn't the easiest things to do ^^;; I hope you like it anyway and that you have a great birthday! :D (even though I can't be there T_T) *hugs and kisses you some more* Enjoy! :D

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_**Freedom to Love**_

Slumping his shoulders wearily, Ed leaned against the doorframe that led to the office, managing half a smile towards the people within in answer to their cheery greetings.

"I take it you are finished for today?" Hawkeye asked, a slightly worried expression on her face. The blond just rolled his eyes.

"As far as I know – yes. But I still have to check in with the Bastard to see if he is going to let me run yet another errand." He answered. The whole day he hadn't done anything but run around Central, tying up some loose ends for the General and acquiring some weird stuff that he had requested on his way. This had to be one of the most trying days he had had in _years_! Really, what had gotten into the old geezer? One would think he would try to keep him out of the office for the whole day. Not that he would have come here today anyway if it weren't because he _had_ to.

The woman gave him a small smile and nodded.

"Go on in then. I think he is expecting you." She urged him before turning back to her paperwork, not without giving Havoc a stern glance however, as he was yet again playing with a cigarette.

Knocking once against the door of General Mustang's private office, Ed didn't wait for an answer before opening it and walking in, letting it fall shut behind him without his usual force.

"Ok Bastard, I ran your errands all damn day, can I _finally_ go home now?" he growled, putting the bag with all the things he had collected along the way on the desk. It was then that he noticed that the older man wore one of his lesser known smirks. Lesser known to most people that is. Edward had gotten used to it after getting to see it quite often over the last few months. It showed amusement with an underlying fondness. Though he never had gotten to see it outside of the black-haired man's house, making him wonder why he was seeing it now.

"Not quite yet, Fullmetal. Have a seat." Mustang ordered, receiving a glare before the blond rolled his eyes and let himself fall down on one of the comfy couches that stood in the office. He nearly groaned as he sank into the soft cushions. Really, one wouldn't think that just running around could be this stressful. He would take a good fight any day over this. Shopping with _Winry_ was less of actual work – and that was saying something! There was a reason why he had been glad that his brother had shown an obvious interest in pursuing a relationship with her – less problems for him. And while he felt a tiny bit sympathetic for his little brother… well, he had chosen this for himself, so he must either be masochistic or just plain in love. Edward wasn't quite sure as for which was it yet.

Rubbing his eyes he looked over to the desk, seeing how the General was sorting through the items in the bag, resisting the urge to yell at the man to just hurry the fuck up. Right now he didn't want anything as badly as a hot shower and a bed. Food would be a plus, but only if someone would bring it to him in the bed.

He was so tired that he didn't even notice that the office was looking not quite as he was used to it. Some of the walls were hidden behind curtains that hadn't been there the last time he was in here – just this morning! – and there were a few frames more than he was used to seeing on the black-eyed man's desk.

But as said before, as tired as he was, he didn't even notice any of these changes. His eyes half closed he watched the older man, deciding that if he wasn't allowed to go home, maybe he should just fall asleep on the couch. It wasn't the first time that had happened and if he was to hazard a guess, it probably wouldn't be the last time either.

Mustang had by now picked up the phone and was speaking with whomever was on the other end in soft tones, making it impossible for the youth to make out the conversation in the exhausted state he was in. With a quick nod of his head he hung up again and went back to sorting through the stuff Edward had brought him.

"If you're not going to do anything but look through your new toys, why can't I go home and get some much needed sleep?" Ed complained, feeling somewhat put out that the man who had been his lover for nearly a year by now was apparently not concerned about his welfare at all.

Looking up and locking gazes with him, Roy gave him a somewhat apologetic smile.

"In a bit. I'll even take you, though I can tell you right now that I'm intending on kidnapping you for today. There is just something that I want to do first." He told the blond, making him groan in frustration at the same time as a warm rush went through his body. One would think after all this time he would have gotten used to Roy's sly comments, but he felt warm whenever the man brought their relationship up again. It wasn't something they could really be open about. With them both in the military and him under the older man's command, it wasn't only frowned upon, it was a serious offense. Which was one of the main reasons why their relationship was a strictly kept secret. Other than Alphonse, Winry and Hawkeye no-one knew about it. Also it was the reason why it had taken them so long to give into their wants. The first _spark_ between them had been there ever since Ed had been sixteen, though he thought they first realized what it really was about as he turned seventeen. But it had taken them another three years to actually _do_ something about it. Starting a relationship that wasn't only strictly forbidden in the sense of the military, but the country laws as well, could be fatal for Roy. Edward probably would have gotten off easy – people often went with the easiest way if they didn't want to see reason, and in this case they would have seen this as a case of abusing power and age. The black-haired man wouldn't stand a chance while the blond would be made out to be some kind of victim. Something that irked him to no end. He wasn't a _victim_ by a long shot! At least not to the other man. If there had to be a victim, then they both were – but only to their own heart's desire.

The younger alchemist was disrupted out of his musings as there was a knock on the door. Lifting his eyebrow he looked to his lover, who gave the command for whoever this was to enter. And as the door opened, Ed's eyes grew wide. For a moment he couldn't really see who this was, seeing that they pushed a large table with wheels in front of them. A table that was decorated with quite a lot of sweets, from chocolate cake to cream and fresh strawberries. His mouth started to water just at the sight of it. But there was something in the midst of it, something he couldn't quite make out.

"Sir!" the man saluted towards the General after having pushed the table right in front of the desk and Roy returned the salute and then thanked the man before dismissing him. After the door closed behind him again, Ed finally found his voice again.

"What the fuck?" he asked, quite a bit confused. Only to be confronted with the older man's amused smirk again.

"Don't tell me you have forgotten what day we have today, Fullmetal?" he asked, his voice teasing. Only then the blond actually thought about it, his own eyes widening in realization.

Mustang, having gotten up in the meantime and standing before the couch now, held out his hand.

"Happy Birthday, Fullmetal. I hope you'll like your present." He grinned. The long-haired youth had to blink a few times before he finally thought about taking the hand in his and shaking it. Then, before he could let go again, Roy pulled him to his feet and flush against the others own upper body, wrapping the arm that wasn't still holding the blond's hand around the smaller body.

Still a bit dazed by exhaustion and surprise, Edward didn't even think about pulling back before soft lips closed over his. Usually they would avoid any form of affection in public – and especially in the office! – so it was quite understandable that he was quite a bit shocked by the older man's daring move. However, it didn't take him long to recover and return the kiss, his lover's mouth too irresistible to actually pull back and act as the voice of reason.

Only after the General let him come up for air again did he lift an eyebrow at him, his gaze confused.

"Roy?" he asked, not really knowing what to make out of the situation. The taller man just smiled gently at him and urged him towards the table that was brought in only a few minutes ago.

"Go and open your present. You'll see." He told him, anticipation clear in his voice.

Not really knowing what to make out of all this, Ed just shrugged and went to the table, realizing that the thing in the midst of all the sweets was an envelope. Realizing that this was probably the present that the older man had meant, he picked it up and opened it, pulling out the sheet of heavy paper within it and unfolding it before reading.

As he read, his eyes grew wide, not really believing what he saw. This wasn't just a birthday present; this was his solution to all his remaining problems!

His eyes wide and starting to glimmer with a bit more fluid than necessary, he turned back to his lover.

"Roy… how?" he managed to ask with a voice that was heavy with emotions. Walking up to him, the black-haired man wrapped his arms around the smaller frame before him, pulling the blond in a comforting and loving embrace.

"I have to admit, I had to call in quite a few favors. But it was worth it. Every single one of them." He told the youth in his arms, his own voice gentle and laced with affection.

In his hand Edward held an official letter, certificating that from now on he was only a citizen once more. Ever since he had managed to restore his brother's body he had tried to get out of the military. However, the military had firm rules regarding their state alchemists. And should there be a reason so that said state alchemist might be needed in the future or could be suspected to turn against them, it wasn't possible for them to resign once they had signed their contract. Edward, with his rare talent, had gotten used to the thought of having to spend the rest of his life within the military long ago, even though he had complained about it bitterly on a regular basis. It was no secret that he hated the military – with the exception of a few rare individuals within – and would love nothing more than to finally be free of it again. The fact that he had to keep the relationship with the person he loved secret because of it only had fueled the fire of his hatred.

But now, to his twenty-first birthday, Roy had finally managed to pull off the impossible.

Lifting one of his hands to lay it on the smooth cheek before him, the black-eyed man smiled at him.

"I take it you like your present then?" he asked, his voice gently teasing. Instead of answering verbally, Edward pulled him down, kissing him with renewed fervor. His exhaustion was long forgotten in prospect of his new freedom. Freedom to live as he wanted, to go where he wanted, to love who he wanted… It sounded like a fairytale.

They kissed for long minutes, their arms tightly wrapped around each other. Tight enough to even leave bruises probably, but neither of them cared. As they finally pulled back, Edward graced his taller lover with a brilliant smile.

"I don't know what to say. There is nothing I can do to ever thank you enough for this. But… Thank you." He told him, a slight blush on his face that could just as much be from the love that he felt as well as the excitement that was running through him.

Roy just smiled and leaned down to kiss the tip of his nose.

"I'm glad." Then his eyes took on their teasing glimmer again. "Now that you got your present, would you like to open the others?" he asked, receiving a confused gaze in return. Grinning, he gestured with his hand around the office and Ed took for the first time notice of all the curtains, getting more confused by the second.

"Go ahead. Feel free to pull them all off. When we leave this office tonight I don't want to see any of them still in place." The older man told him before releasing him out of his arms and going over to his desk to, as Ed guessed, watch him as he was doing so.

Shrugging to himself, he put the certification down on the table once more, careful to not let it get dirty, before wandering over to the nearest curtain. It was draped over something that had vaguely the form of a picture frame and as he carefully pulled it off, his eyes widened and he looked over to the desk with unbelieving eyes. Roy was leaning against the wood, watching him as he had thought he would, a gentle look in his face. In seeing the blond turn towards him with a question in his eyes he nodded before gesturing him to continue. With a grin coming to his face, Ed didn't need another invitation, walking from curtain to curtain, pulling them off as he went and looking at the pictures behind them.

They were all pictures of the two of them, made over the last months that they had been together. Ed always had said it was dangerous that they had made these pictures – after all, everyone who would see them could see that they were very obviously together – but now he was glad that they had. With him a civilian once more, their relationship didn't need to be hidden any longer and they were free to do with it whatever they wanted. And apparently Roy felt that after all the time they had to stay silent about it, he wanted to flaunt the fact that he and Edward were together.

Finally coming to stand in front of the desk again, the blond could see that the extra frames there also were pictures – one of him alone, one of them together, and one with them, Riza, Alphonse and Winry.

Swallowing hard he looked at his lover, reaching out to take his hand with his left.

"I can't believe you did all this for me. You cannot imagine what this means to me." He told him, his voice gentle. Roy just shook his head and squeezed his hand.

"Probably just as much as it meant to me. Edward, I meant it when I said that I love you. I want to stay with you for the rest of my life and the thought of having to hide the best thing that has ever happened to me sat incredible wrong with me. So while this is your birthday present, it also is for me. For us, really. This all actually was only the set-up for your _real_ present."

Blinking his eyes wide in shock, the blond looked up at him, his eyes telling Roy that this was more than he ever hoped to get and that he wasn't expecting anything else. Chuckling in amusement, the older alchemist reached behind him, activating the array that he had laid out on the desk before the table was brought in and taking the item that was formed by the transmutation out of it, holding it out for the younger of the both of them to see.

It was a simple leather band, nearly two inches wide and only long enough to fit around a wrist. It didn't have anything to hold it though. Exactly in the center sat a ruby in the form of a flame, encased in silver within the leather. And if one looked really closely they could see that within the ruby, there was formed from more silver the flamel, the sign that Edward had carried with him ever since his days of study under Izumi's instructions.

It was _them_. So obvious that it nearly hurt. And the blond took it into his hands with almost reverent wonder.

Roy cleared his throat before speaking again.

"I know that it's impossible for two men to marry, but if you are ok with it, I would like for you to carry this leather band. It's not as obvious as a ring, but I thought it was more fitting for the both of us." He told his young lover, making him look up once again with a brilliant smile forming on his lips, his cheeks tinted pink.

"I… would like that." Ed answered him, almost shyly, still smiling. The black-haired man just smiled in answer and kissed him once more before taking the band away from him again and wrapping it around the blond's left wrist. Then, with the help of another pre-drawn array, he transmuted the leather band together, so that it now didn't have any kind of lock, neatly fitting around the younger alchemist's wrist as if it had always been there.

Once he finished, the long-haired youth took another good look at it, grinning at his lover before pulling him down for some more kisses.

It took them quite some time until they finally came up for air again. By then Edward had found his composure back and Roy was back to his smirking self.

"So…" he asked, his voice teasing. "Now that we have that established, would you like to taste some of that cake before we go home?" The blond just smirked back at him, playing with the collar of the older man's uniform.

"Oh, I have a better idea." He said coyly, his own mischievous streak showing through. "What would you say that we take these goodies with us and we'll eat them there? As in, off of each other?" he grinned, only getting to see the hungry expression that stole its way to Roy's eyes for a second before he was kissed again.

It was a long time before they actually went home that night. But they made good use of everything that was on that table.

They just hoped that no-one would come into the office the next day before they would have a chance to clean away the mess they had made.

OWARI

Ok, that was it XD I hope you all enjoyed it^^


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